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When I called this morning, I'm pretty sure the CSR told me that the HD free for "life" offer to new customers is for 24 months. If that's true and if I were a new customer calling up about the offer, hearing that they had defined "life" as "24 months" might be enough for me to simply hang up on them. I mean, seriously, by what non-misleading definition could anyone construe "life" as "24 months"? Could it be that they're counting on the end of the world in 2012??? I guess the Mayans were right after all!

I'm disappointed by the fact that new customers are getting "Free For Life" and existing customers are only getting 2 years.

Do we know if there is a time limit on this offer or if this is new policy I ask this because I've never upgraded to HD Access have been waiting for HD DTivo but this offer could change my thinking?

I understand you have to sign up for auto pay which I would need to do is so there a preference to doing this through D* website or through your bank? If you did this through your bank would it automatically show up in your D* online account as auto pay?

I just got off the phone and was granted the 2yrs free HD without question. Very simple. I'm sure they either anticipated the calls or scrambled to do something. I agree with all earlier posts that current customers should not have to call for this. HD fee should be dropped period for all.

I understand you have to sign up for auto pay which I would need to do is so there a preference to doing this through D* website or through your bank? If you did this through your bank would it automatically show up in your D* online account as auto pay?

No, it has to be through D* directly. Either at directv.com or through an agent to sign up is fine

As previous posters have indicated, D* now has an offer for existing customers for HD access free for 24 months, with Auto Bill Pay Signup. Please note that you do have to have Select or above, and if Auto Bill Pay is removed for any reason, the offer will be removed.

DirecTV employee since 2008Opinions expressed by me are my own and do not necessarily reflectthose of DBSTalk.com, DIRECTV, Dish Network, or any other company.

I called, the CSR that I talked to said that he only saw the new customer offer, nothing for existing customers for a 2 year offer. Think I'll just try the e-mail route and see what happens.

I tried the e-mail route and got nowhere. I called and got the 24 month and was told on the 9th there would be a lifetime offer so call back. In 2 years there won't be a HD charge anyway is my guess so I'm just leaving it the way it is.

I was told that I was only elibible for 3 months of free HD. I think the CSR was confused regarding the free HD offer and the 3 months free for the HD Extra Pack. She seemed new and not very knowledgable.

I have Choice Xtra, HD Extra Pack and three movie packages (over $140.00 per month including taxes). I have had DirecTV for over ten years (with auto bill pay) and never have been able to get any credits. It has been over two years since I added a receiver so I am not under contract.

I just called and got nothing. Was told free HD was for new customers only and there was no way to offer this to existing customers. I may go OTA only for a few years and then get one of the new customer deals.

No, it has to be through D* directly. Either at directv.com or through an agent to sign up is fine

As previous posters have indicated, D* now has an offer for existing customers for HD access free for 24 months, with Auto Bill Pay Signup. Please note that you do have to have Select or above, and if Auto Bill Pay is removed for any reason, the offer will be removed.

Thanks I will sign up at D* website then and I have Choice Extra + DVR so I would think I would qualify. I also need a dish upgrade and HD receiver so I need to figure out a way to get a HR24 plus everything installed for free ( have never upgraded equipment in seven years).

Sounds like the success rate is in the high 80s. I have the grandfathered Choice Xtra HD DVR for $79.99 package. Has anyone received the $10.00 per month off for 2 years with the $79.99 grandfathered package? In other words, you still have the grandfathered Choice Xtra HD DVR but now you're only paying $69.99?

I decided to go to D*.com and log in to my account to see if they had anything about the free HD. I come to find out that I haven't activated my HD service and it says click activate now for $10.00. But when I look at my statements they show Choice Xtra HD DVR for $79.99. Probably just some kind of web error because I've had HD from the beginning.

I gave it a shot..said I could get the 24 mo free HD offer...with auto pay only...OR 6mo free HD w/o auto pay..I chose the 6mo offer for now...I too think that the HD access fee will be dropped..eventually.

Why some are being denied is puzzling. Maybe whats going on each customer gets so much in freebie's and once they use them up over a certain time period they get denied.

For what it's worth, other than the HD extra pack freebie—and I admit I've had that more than once; in my experience it's offered basically every time I call, whether I ask for anything or not—I haven't had any special deals since April 2007, when I bought two new HD DVRs at Best Buy and DirecTV gave us a $200 service credit (equal to cost of one receiver).

I called and got the 24 mo HD credit with no problem. I asked for a few other things. Got 3 months credit of $5 for my HD extra pack. I asked why that was not part of the deal and the CSR had no idea. I also wanted to cancel HBO (Pacific is now done) and put my Starz back on. They did that and gave me $5 off Starz for 6 months.

Lastly, I have been interested in the Whole House DVR package, but felt the $155 (incl tax) install was too much since I already have my own SWiM installed (my Powerline network was somewhat unreliable during the Beta test). She gave me the install for $91. All in all a good day talking with D*.

It does bug me that we have to proactively call D* and ask for the HD credit. They should just give it to everybody who already has AutoPay. Not a good way to run their railroad if you ask me. Now I am going to tell my friends and family who have D* that they need to call to get the HD credits on their account. A further time-consuming but necessary pain.